1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to new certain and useful improvements in both an apparatus and a method for automatically feeding to and covering a load with a tarpaulin or similar cover wound about an elongate tube as the tube is moved longitudinally with respect to the load on a flat bed truck or the like. More particularly, the apparatus and method of this type which reduces the incidents of injury and even death which arises from a need to climb on a truck bed for purposes of applying the cover to the load.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
It is a very common practice to attempt to drape a tarpaulin or similar flexible cover over a load on a flat bed truck, or for that matter, even on a railroad car in order to protect a load from weather conditions, temperature changes, road debris and the like. Moreover, tarpaulin covers of this type are partially effective in reducing the incidents of vandalism as for example, vandals or so-called “taggers” with spray cans of paint who otherwise may imprint a logo on the cargo.
In the application of a tarpaulin or other cover to a load on a flat bed truck trailer, it frequently is necessary for the driver or other personal to climb onto the flat bed truck and attempt to pull the tarpaulin over the load and to thereafter tie the tarpaulin straps or so called ties to the truck bed. However and even though the height of the truck bed may only be five feet from the road surface, a fall from that truck bed can result in serious injury, if not death. Moreover, because there are straps on the tarpaulin for tying the same, it is easy for a worker to get his or her foot caught in one of these straps or other portions of the load and trip and fall off of the bed of the truck, resulting in injury or death.
It can be observed that with the presence of the load on a truck, it becomes a difficult or even dangerous task to attempt to pull the tarpaulin across the load, particularly when standing on the bed of the truck.
Because of an increase in the number of occurrences of falling off a trailer bed, liability insurance costs have increased substantially and in some cases, organizations which ship goods by truck trailers are demanding a better means of transporting cargo with covers thereon, which would eliminate the need for manual labor to climb on the trailer. In many cases, haulers are often prone to just disregard the need a tarpaulin over the load, resulting in weather damage or other damage to the cargo carried thereon.